The Expanse reading order

Why the order isn't simple

• The novellas were published between novels but several are set before the first novel.
• Memory's Legion arranges stories in publication order, not story order.
• A further short story, The Last Flight of the Cassandra, is listed by some sources but is not in Memory's Legion; it is not included here as it is unverified.

Which order should I use?

Publication order puts each novella in the year it came out, often between the two novels it is set between.

The story-placement view slots each shorter work by setting. Auberon's place (between Persepolis Rising and Tiamat's Wrath) is stated by Orbit, and the publisher describes the new novella in Memory's Legion as set after Leviathan Falls; the other placements come from Wikipedia, so the view is labelled an alternative order rather than an official one.

Where each order comes from

Publication order — Derived from publication dates

Ordered by first publication date (original language). Derived automatically from the dates listed for each work.

Story placement of novellas — Alternative order

Placement of novellas relative to novels as reported mainly by secondary sources (Auberon confirmed by Orbit). Pre-Leviathan Wakes novellas share one position since their relative order is not sourced; Drive is placed first as s2 sets it about 150 years earlier. Source: The Expanse (novel series), Memory's Legion, Auberon (title page / cover reveal), Memory’s Legion (book page).

Novellas & short stories

Drive, The Butcher of Anderson Station, The Churn, Gods of Risk, The Vital Abyss, Strange Dogs, Auberon and The Sins of Our Fathers were sold separately before Memory's Legion gathered them.

Three works are set before Leviathan Wakes (Drive, The Butcher of Anderson Station, The Churn), so in the story-placement view they come first. The Butcher of Anderson Station and The Churn share a position because no source orders them against each other.

The Vital Abyss is the one disputed placement: one Wikipedia page puts it between Abaddon's Gate and Cibola Burn, another describes it as spanning from before Leviathan Wakes to Cibola Burn. Both views are recorded under 'Where sources disagree'.

Collections & omnibus editions: what's inside

Memory's Legion contains all eight shorter works according to the publisher's contents list, so owning it makes the separate novellas duplicates.

Contents below are works from this series only. Tick the editions you own to check for duplicates and gaps.

Where sources disagree

We don't pick a winner silently. When sources conflict we show each view and cite it.

How this page was verified

Memory's Legion's date and contents come from the publisher (Hachette/Orbit); novella placements and novel dates are from Wikipedia, cross-checked with library records.

Last verified 7 October 2026. Some works cite only secondary or catalogue sources.

Sources

Every date, order and edition listed on this page cites at least one of these. See our data methodology for how source types are ranked.

1. The Expanse (novel series) — Wikipedia · Secondary reference · accessed 7 October 2026
   Novel and novella publication dates.
2. Memory's Legion — Wikipedia · Secondary reference · accessed 7 October 2026
   Collection contents, publication date, story placements.
3. Auberon (title page / cover reveal) — Hachette Book Group / Orbit · Publisher · accessed 7 October 2026
   Found via search: Orbit states Auberon takes place between Persepolis Rising and Tiamat's Wrath. Page itself not fetched directly.
4. Memory’s Legion (book page) — Hachette Book Group / Orbit · Publisher · accessed 7 October 2026
   On sale 15 March 2022 (Orbit hardcover). Contents: Drive; The Butcher of Anderson Station; The Churn; Gods of Risk; The Vital Abyss; Strange Dogs; Auberon; The Sins of our Fathers. States the collection includes a brand-new novella set after the events of Leviathan Falls. No other timeline statements.
5. Open Library edition records (first-publication year cross-check) — Open Library (Internet Archive) · Library catalog · accessed 7 October 2026
   Year of first publication matched the earliest year with two or more catalogued editions for: Leviathan Wakes (/works/OL16114008W); Caliban's War (/works/OL16117275W); Abaddon's Gate (/works/OL17074648W); Cibola Burn (/works/OL17454175W); Nemesis Games (/works/OL17755458W); Babylon's Ashes (/works/OL17793650W); Persepolis Rising (/works/OL17857348W); Tiamat's Wrath (/works/OL19800273W); Leviathan Falls (/works/OL21704818W); The Churn (/works/OL24622302W); The Sins of Our Fathers (/works/OL27701126W). Generated by scripts/audit-dates.mjs; see audit/date-crosscheck.json.